Children Services Placement Coordinator

Location:

Baltimore, MD

Exempt/Non-Exempt:

Exempt

Benefits:

An excellent benefit package is offered

Employment Type:

Full Time

Office:

Baltimore

Description:

The Children Services Placement Coordinator coordinates placements for unaccompanied refugee minors and unaccompanied children in federal custody for delivery of high quality services, and to promote best child welfare practices & standards for other children of interest. To provide technical assistance to URM & DUCS affiliate staff, service partners, resettlement staff, and other national and international partners. The expected hire date for this position is January 2014 (contingent on receiving funding).

Duties:

Coordinate with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Division of Refugee Assistance (DRA), Division of Unaccompanied Children Services (DUCS) and the Anti-Trafficking in Person (ATIP) Division, the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM), LIRS pre-arrival team, LIRS Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) affiliate network and LIRS partners working with Family Reunification to refer and place unaccompanied children in need of foster care or follow-up services. Assign post release services cases to appropriate Child specialist.

Assess and gather intake documents and other additional referral information as needed on unaccompanied children referred for placement or post release services in the affiliate and partner network.

In collaboration with other LIRS Children Services staff monitor individual foster care and post follow up services partners.

Identify, contract and coordinate with affiliates or individual contractor's capacity and needs.

As needed in collaboration with staff on the children's services team conduct visits to foster care affiliates or post release service providers to provide onsite technical assistance, and ensure services meet recognized child welfare standards.

Maintain records and track data; observe standard social work practices and ethics on all cases.

Maintain clear and consistent communication with the assistant director's ensuring that he or she is informed of critical trends, major program activities and other program challenges.

In collaboration with other LIRS Children Services staff, pre & post arrival staff, and other partners or individually conduct training and workshops on child welfare topics, post release services, and the URM program.

Collaborate as needed with ORR, ATIP, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), PRM, post release service partners, foster care affiliates and others engaged in serving the needs of unaccompanied children.

Collaborate with other LIRS staff to provide technical assistance to promote the best interests of all children served through LIRS and other resettlement agencies & review minor suitability determinations, BIDs for attached minors, 90 day reports of cases of concern.

Liaison with PRM and overseas partners on case composition and make recommendations on different case constellations based on child welfare standards, best interest of the child, and program capacities. Ensure smoother transition for children entering the URM program; and to obtain information on relatives to be resettled for cases post arrival

Monitor interagency coordination of child's travel to foster care in conjunction with other foster care team members, facilitating communication between involved parties as needed.

Prepare statistical reports as needed for internal monitoring and external reporting for various needs.

Co-Host quarterly VoLAG child specific calls.

Engagement in ongoing professional development.

Engagement in agency -wide activities and initiatives including all-staff meetings, working groups or task forces and implementation of strategic initiatives.

Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications:

Deep commitment to LIRS's core values and ability to model those values in relationships with colleagues and partners.

Master's degree in Social Work, or other relevant degree and equivalent experience

Minimum three years' experience working in child welfare, with 2 years of increasing responsibilities preferred

Social Work License preferred

Knowledge of and experience working with refugee and/or immigrant children